Like humans and other animals, plant life (such as trees) are susceptible to becoming afflicted with various diseases and afflictions. Sometimes trees may be saved with proper treatment by the use of various nutrients. Other times trees are treated in the first instance by innoculation with various antibiotics.
At times, these nutrients and antibiotics are delivered to the tree by application to the soil where the roots are located. However, it is often necessary to innoculate the tree by applying the antibiotics and/or nutrients directly to the cambium layer of the tree.
In the prior art of which I am aware, various devices and instruments have been employed for injecting a liquid into a tree for the purpose of destroying insects and diseases which infest the tree and for providing nourishment to stimulate growth. Generally, an opening is bored into the trunk of the tree, and the liquid is injected into the tree under pressure by means of a suitable coupling, such as the needle of a hypodermic needle. Examples of such devices are U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,756,453; 2,116,591; 3,864,874; 4,011,685; 4,342,176 and 4.698,935.
In the aforementioned '935 patent, a metal cartridge is driven into a downwardly-inclined bore in the trunk of a tree, and a hypodermic needle is inserted through a mass of sealable material carried by the rearward end portion of the cartridge and accessible externally thereof. Preferably, the sealable material comprises silicone which is room temperature vulcanizable ("RTV") and may be color coded to readily indicate to the operator the successive stages in the innoculation or other treatment of the tree. The needle is closely guided through the RTV by means of a restricted diameter bore and counterbore in the cartridge, and the liquid is injected into the cartridge and flows out the forward open end thereof. In a preferred embodiment, the cartridge comprises a rifle cartridge from which the primer has been removed. The cartridge is rugged and reliable, inexpensive, and may be driven into the tree trunk by a hammering action.
Generally speaking, each of these apparatus and methods require the formation of a relatively deep bore in the trunk of a tree into which a capsule or reservoir is disposed. Liquid is then disposed into this capsule for treating the tree. Unfortunately, use of such an arrangement is not possible where trees having a small size or diameter is involved. In addition to not having a trunk which is thick enough to receive the apparatuses therein, in such trees, forming of a bore therein which possesses a size large enough to receive the apparatus would be detrimental to the health thereof and may even possibly result in the death of the tree. None of the apparatuses or methods of which I am aware, wherein liquid is injected into the trunk, provide an apparatus or method wherein a reservoir is provided that does not have to be supported within the bore.